Regionals Update: Virgin Express-SN Brussels talks collapse

Merger talks between Virgin Express and SN Brussels Airlines–the renamed regional successor of bankrupt Sabena Airlines–came to a crashing halt in late February when Virgin chairman Richard Branson and investors in the Belgian regional failed to agree on a price and the would-be company’s management structure. “After two months of detailed discussions, both companies have decided that it is not in their mutual interests to merge, both on financial and cultural grounds,” Virgin Express said in a statement. Formerly known as Delta Air Transport, SN Brussels continues to fly its fleet of Avro RJs and BAe 146s to 35 European destinations, including Rome, London and Barcelona, under a code-share arrangement with Virgin Express. Although its ambitions to succeed Sabena as a global carrier appear derailed for the time being, it recently announced plans to begin serving former Sabena markets in Africa with three leased Airbus A330-300s on April 26.